A Jingly Staff And A Plant Called Verin
by Rivenchu
Summary: Verin: A pale green plant that has bright blue flowers with black centers. This plant acts as a .... if digested by a mazoku or dragons, it has some unusual side effects...
1. Be Wary Of Tea, Town Name Changes, And U...

Author Notes: I don't own anything here really. The idea that inspired/generated this fic was half mine half Zee M. And I definitely don't own the Slayers, otherwise there would be more than 3 seasons. *cackles*

Filia: I don't have to take this! I may be a muse but can't you at least get different other muses that aren't a mazoku! *furiously points over to Xellos and Dolphin*

Xellos: Why Filia, I didn't know you could care. And here I thought you were just a selfish dragon. *grin* ^_^

Filia: I am not! Like you would know anything about caring you namagomi mazoku! *tail has popped out and currently swishing around*

Xellos: *twitch* More than you would ever know!

Dolphin: *takes a sip of tea as Filia and Xellos fight in the background* The traditional love/hate relationship… *she sighs happily and watches*

Riven: Ack… will you all behave! Let's get on with the fic. Go on, go! *the muses stalk off (Dolphin danced off)* Why can't I have muses that know how to behave…

~ ~ ~ (Muses… they never behave…) ~ ~ ~

We join the Slayers at a restaurant. Everyone was doing the normal meal routine. Lina, Gourry, and Amelia were savagely attacking the any food in the vicinity, Zelgadis was enjoying a new coffee flavor, and both Filia and Xellos were waiting for tea. 

'Good thing this isn't Glanvar. We just missed it, though it is in the area.' Xellos mused until a waiter handed him a cup of tea. Taking a sip he looked at it curiously 'Strange this tastes familiar. I must be mistaken this isn't Glanvar.' He drank more while Filia still was on her first cup.

Soon everyone was full, and the waiter came by. "Did everyone like the meal?" he panted.

"Yeah it was good." Lina said. "I haven't heard of this town though. Why is that?"

"We just changed our name recently. It was Glanvar, but now it is Nipperton. Do you like our new name?" Unnoticed to everyone Xellos blanched when the waiter mentioned the name change.

"Yeah sure." Lina waved him off. 

'Oh…no…' Xellos looked at the empty teacup. 'I just hope I haven't had too much…' WHAM! Xellos found himself partially embedded in the wall. He pulled himself out, stood up, and glaring the at others he yelled "Why in Mei-ou's realm do you do that for?!"

Everyone blinked at the sudden out burst from him. Filia quickly put away her mace.

"You were just sitting there, and didn't answer us when we talked to you…" Amelia mumbled.

"We're ready to go look at the museum." Lina shrugged and walked out with everyone soon following her. 

Xellos walked out last. 'I think I can handle this. I hope I can handle this…' Walking out he almost tripped on a stair. He flailed his arms for a second to catch his balance. He then glanced at the others and sighed in relief when they didn't notice. 'I'm not going to be able to handle this, but I can't leave either… orders.' 

~ ~ ~ (Blast those orders, but it is more fun this way *evil grin*) ~ ~ ~ 

"This is the legendary staff off Rezo the Red Priest. Many believe it has magical powers that only he knew about…" The guide droned on to the group of six people.

Zelgadis was quietly seething at seeing the staff. After all it helped turn him into chimera, but maybe it held the key to reversing the curse.

Lina was remembering the battle with Rezo. Maybe after Zelgadis was done with it he'd let her have it…

Gourry was thinking about a chicken. The weird little chicken called Fibula or something like that. It later grew to be a bigger chicken. 

Amelia thought about how just it would be if Zelgadis could break the curse on him. She didn't really remember why he wanted to do that. He looked so cool with it though…

Filia was interested at how strong a magic sense she got from the staff. This Rezo must have been powerful to create it. He was only a human…

Xellos was looking from his staff to Rezo's. He liked his staff but the other one could make noise… It could jingle, and that was cool.

"Could we possibly have the staff?" Zelgadis asked.

"The guide stopped and looked at him. "No, this is a holy relic since Rezo mysteriously vanished years ago."

"But I'm his great grandson/grandson." Zelgadis tersely replied.

"I can't allow anyone to take it." The guide repeated.

"He was carrying a fragment of Shabranigdo." Amelia said. "So he was evil."

"What?!" Filia's tail popped out. "He was!"

"I repeat, this staff doesn't leave the area." The guide flatly said.

"Now listen here…" Lina shouted.

Xellos only paid half attention to the others. Shrugging he made his staff vanish, and teleported over behind every single ward put up to protect the staff. (Hey being a high-leveled mazoku does have its perks…) Reaching out he took Rezo's staff.

"Hey how did he get past all the shields and traps?!" The guide shouting pointing. 

"Oh no! Xellos you get back here with staff!" Lina and Zelgadis shouted.

Xellos opened his eyes, turned around slightly and giggled still holding the staff. 

"…" everyone blinked in surprise. He did look kind of creepy, and he never acted like this before.

Xellos giggled again and then in a blur sped past everyone out the door.

"… Get back here you… arrrghh!!!" Lina and the others sped out.

Only to stop when they didn't see where he had gone.

"Excuse me?" Everyone turned to see the guide. "Is your friend a mazoku by chance?"  


"Yeah." Zelgadis cautiously said.

The guide whipped out a book. "That explains a lot. Did he eat any plant, it has a pale green stem with bright blue flowers that have a black center."

Everyone shook his or her head no.

"Any special food or tea?"

"Well we did have some tea at the restaurant…" Filia said.

"That explains it. We grow a plant called Verin and it has some very strange magical properties. First of all is it only grows in this area, secondly it helps you sleep , thirdly for some it can act as a truth serum, and there are so many more… But the one I'm thinking about is if a mazoku eats it, they have unusual side affects. It has earned it's nick name of mazoku-nip, acting like cat-nip, but for mazoku. Your friend must have gotten into some accidentally..."

A loud sound came from the east and everyone ran that way.

~-~-~ (Mazoku-nip!!!) ~-~-~

Xellos was hanging up-side down from a tree branch in a forest nearby Nipperton. Holding Rezo's staff, which jingled much to his delight, he shouted "Four!" and swung it. The boulder went flying. Dropping down from the tree and landing on his feet he half ran, half skipped after it with the staff slung over his shoulder. 

The boulder whistled through the air for a minute, before plummeting back in the forest. Soon Xellos came to where the boulder landed. Standing next to it, he took Rezo's staff, aimed, and swung again. "Five!" Then like before he half skipped half ran after it.

This time the boulder landed on top of a hill, startling a bunny that it narrowly missed. When Xellos came along and spotted the bunny, he picked it up.

"Awww… poor thing did I scare you?" Xellos sat on top of the boulder cuddling and baby talking to the bunny with Rezo's staff still slung over his shoulder.

And that is how everyone found him. The Slayers jaws dropped when they saw the Trickster Priest cuddling a bunny.

Xellos soon noticed the others and stood up. "I will not allow you to take away Fluffers! By all that is unjust and evil you can not kill him!!" Xellos somehow managed to do a justice-type pose while holding the bunny.

Amelia leapt up on a nearby tree and posed. "I stand for all that is just and good! Never in my life would I hurt a bunny!" Amelia dropped her pose and got a closer look at the bunny. "Especially such a cute little bunny."

Everyone by now had face-faulted.

Xellos blinked. "Well okay. Take good care of him then." Xellos teleported over, handed Amelia the bunny, and then teleported back onto the boulder where he began spinning around. 

"This is scary…" Lina said when she pulled herself off the ground to see Xellos doing something that vaguely resembled ballet.

"Awww… isn't Fluffers cute?" Amelia snuggled the bunny.

"What do we do?" Gourry said looking at Xellos with a confused expression.

"Maybe we can snap him out of it." Lina said . "Fireball!" The orange-red ball of fire missed the dancing mazoku.

"Awww…" Xellos stopped and threw a pouting expression at Lina. "You're mean, I'm going to go somewhere else." He somersaulted off the rock, over the group, and as soon as he landed began to skip-run to a field.

"Ah that's not good!" The guide stammered. "That where the Verin grows! If he eats anymore…"

Lina and bolted after the mazoku without hearing the rest of the sentence or a second's thought.

~ ~ ~ (Xellos skips by. "Wheee!" Riven glances up from her computer. O.o) ~ ~ ~

Xellos was having a blast. Literally. After dodging all the Ra Tilts, the Dragon Slave or two, and anything else they cast after at him, he got to see the pretty explosions.

Eventually he came to a field of pale green plants with bright blue flowers that had a black center. He stopped to sniff one.

"Hey… this smells nice." He then decapitated the flowers and sniffed them. Then he sat down and happily bit into them. "They taste good too." Then for no apparent reason he leapt into a different section and rolled in it.

"Stop!!!" Lina anyone else that followed her.

Xellos looked up with flowers that were randomly stuck to him. "Why?" He asked in very cheery voice. He knew Zelgadis had circle behind him and was about to charge.

"Slee-" Lina charged just as soon as Zelgadis did.

Xellos just stuck out his tongue and leapt straight up. Lina and Zelgadis crashed into each other. Lina's sleep spell made Zelgadis fall asleep, while Zelgadis's inertia knocked Lina down and out.

Xellos landed several feet away and giggled. He then leapt into another section.

Filia stared at Lina and Zelgadis. "Ok it's up to us three." Filia turned around and found out she was alone.

Scene flashes and Gourry and Amelia are playing with Fluffers. They didn't follow.

Filia gritted her teeth and went in the direction to where Xellos headed. She prepared herself for the worst. She peeked through the plants ready to see mass chaos.

She saw a frolicking mazoku trying to chase a butterfly. Filia blinked.

Xellos stopped, scooped up a bunch of flowers, and bounded over to a startled Filia.

"Here." He dumped the flowers on her and began chasing another butterfly.

"Eh?" Filia looked down at the messy bouquet of flowers. "I... err... what are you up to namagomi?!" she yelled standing up.

Xellos froze mid-step and looked at her with huge watery eyes. "What did I do?"

Filia was still confused by his behavior. "You know what you did namagomi."

Xellos's eye's seemed to get a little bigger and wetter. He then threw himself at Filia sobbing. After he had latched around her waist he wailed "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" He paused and looked up. "What did I do?"

"Rrraaaarrrgggghhhh!!!!" Filia then tried to pry the mazoku off of her, but to no avail. She eventually sat down red in the face. "Baka namagomi mazoku..."

Xellos wailed harder.

Filia growled and fumed. "Great I'm stuck to namagomi mazoku who won't get off of me."

Xellos looked up ate her with his huge watery eyes and sniffed. He let go and teleported a short distance away with his back towards her. "You're mean." He sat down and fiddled with Rezo's staff.

Filia stared at the mazoku's back. Hearing a soft rustling she turned around to see the guide. 

"I just came to see if I can help." 

"Like there's anything we could do for him." Filia pointed towards Xellos who was still sulking.

"Why are you covered in flowers?" The guide stared at the flowers that had stuck to her.

"He dropped them all on me." Filia was now a light crimson.

"He must like you."

"No! He's an evil namagomi mazoku! He can't! It's a evil scheme!" Filia shouted growing fangs.

Unseen by both of them Xellos cringed. Turning around for a second he looked at the two others, before radiating a hurt puppy dog aura. Whimpering he slunk away. 

"Wait calm down, calm down…" The guide placated her. "Verin is like a truth serum, remember." Filia nodded and he continued "So he isn't hiding anything."

"So he really likes me?" she squeaked after a minute of stunned silence.

"Yeah. And since he likes you, why don't you get him to calm down. He'll listen to you. I'll go check on the two sleeping beauties."

Filia stood up and brushed herself off as the guide left. Looking over to where Xellos was she was surprised to not to see him there.

Filia stood there thinking. Then she heard a soft clanging jingle in the distance. Filia walked, following the sound until she came to a large tree at the edge of the forest. Peering up into branches she saw a distracted Xellos absently turning the staff in his hands.

'I'm here, now what do I do?' she thought. "Ummm can you come down here Xellos?"

Startled Xellos looked down at her. After a moment he said, "No, you don't want me to."

Filia ground her teeth together. "I said come down here right now!"

Xellos teleported down a several feet away from her with his head bowed.

"Now come over here." Filia calmed down a little.

"Last time you yelled at me." Xellos looked up with huge watery eyes again.

"I promise I won't this time, come on come over here." Filia held her arms out. The next thing she knew Xellos had reattached himself to her waist.

Filia almost angrily yelled out but she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She sat down and leaned against the tree. "Now I want you stay here with me." She said.

"Okay…" Xellos mumbled. 

Filia looked down and saw Xellos yawn before he scooted a little bit closer with a content expression on his face. Looking back up she tried to come to grips that Xellos was laying down and partially on her. And it wasn't that bad actually... 

Filia reached out and took Rezo's staff. It jingled and Filia couldn't help but grin. She shook it again, and giggled. No wonder why someone would carry a staff like that around, it was fun to jingle it.

She leaned it next to her. "Xellos?" 

She didn't get a reply.

"Xellos?" This time Filia looked down and saw he had actually fallen asleep.

'I didn't know mazoku could fall asleep.' Filia though. She then looked around to check if the coast was clear. When she knew no one else was in the area she softly smiled and put her hand on his head. 

She nearly jumped and took her hand off when Xellos began to purr. She grinned a little and scratched his head, and Xellos nuzzled closer and purred louder. Filia giggled and leaned back lazily. 

~ ~ ~ (Purrrr…^-^ ) ~ ~ ~

Wherever he was it was warm and comfy. Very warm and comfy. And someone was gently rubbing his head, and that was nice. Very nice. But how did he get here… The last thing he remembered clearly was seeing a staff. 

All of a sudden whatever he was on moved and he heard a yawn. Opening his eyes a crack he looked up. It was only Filia. He closed his eyes and sighed. Only Filia… Only Filia?! His eyes snapped open as he sat up very quickly and looked around. How did he get here?

"Have a good nap Xellos." Filia smiled.

"…" Xellos just stared at her for a second before looking around again. How did he get here under a tree alone with Filia? It also appeared to be late afternoon. 

Filia giggled quietly and leaned forward. When Xellos wasn't looking at her she began to scratch his head again.

"Filia…" Xellos whined after he whirled around.

Filia giggled again and leaned on him.

"Eh?!" Xellos's eyes widened when Filia snuggled against him. 

Just then everyone else came and were shocked again.

"Wait Filia had a little of the tea too! What does it do to dragons?!" Lina shook the guide.

"Takes some time but it acts like a tranquilizer, it looks she didn't get that much." The guide's teeth rattled as he spoke.

Filia grabbed Rezo's staff and ran off back into the fields, everyone followed.

~ ~ ~ (Filia darts by "Here I go!" Riven glances up from her computer again. O.o ) ~ ~ ~

Later after everyone found Filia curled up on a rock in the middle of a stream. They found out the staff wouldn't cure Zelgadis. They carried Filia back to the inn. And the rest of the night went smoothly.

The next morning both Filia and Xellos avoided the tea. They then began to gather supplies and went their separate ways.

'I should get some more of this mazoku-nip and give it to Xellos more often. Just enough to loosen him up.' Filia thought impishly as she skipped into the Viren fields. 

~ ~ ~ (Sneaky Filia…) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Ack! This turned into a romance! And I didn't mean for it too! *shrug* Oh well. ^-^ Any way like it, hate it, didn't understand it? (ihvnnm I know you don't, you never understand my fics. Even my normal ones. *background fades to black as single spot light shines on the author* ) 

Started : 4/12/02Finished : 4/12/02


	2. Be Wary Of Curious Dragons With Verin, M...

Author's Notes: Well due to some people wanting a sequel (7 out of 12) I'm going to write one. This is a teeny bit more serious and romancey, it probably isn't as good as the first chapter. *sigh* It will focus more on Xellos and Filia just to tell you all that now (Now I can't seem to write something without it focusing on Filia and Xellos...) Maybe I should change the title… what dou your readers think tell me in your review please. Like before I own nothing but half of this idea behind the fic, the other half is Zee M's. The plot is mine to extent also. If you like this fic be sure to go see Kitty nipper by Zee M. :3 =^_^=

~ ~ ~ (Eeee! An unplanned sequel!!! Yay!!!!!) ~ ~ ~

It had been several weeks since the incident in Nipperton and things had returned to their normal routine.

Boooom!

As I said they were back in the swing of things.

Lina finished picking off most of the bandit's treasure. She walked back to where the rest of the group was lounging around waiting for her. Filia was polishing her mace, Xellos was in a tree, Gourry was polishing his sword, Amelia was playing with Fluffers, and Zelgadis was looking at a map. (*whips out a book* In response to spare Fluffers was riding Amelia's shoulder and has become her little pet. *closes book, fills up that plot hole, and smiles*)

"Ok I'm done. Where is the nearest town Zel?" Lina asked.

"Down the road. We should be there by nightfall if we make good time." Zelgadis replied as he rolled up the map and pointed down the road with it.

~ ~ ~ (Typity type type! ^_^) ~ ~ ~

Filia was thinking as she absently ate dinner with the others. Back in Nipperton that tea had affected her and Xellos. It relaxed her and nothing else. Had she really liked being around Xellos? Had he really liked her or was it the Verin? Had she and Xellos spent a few hours together peacefully under a tree? Did he really purr? 

The last thought caused Filia to grin. Who would of thought that Xellos could purr. She remembered that quite clearly, so she was sure he did. 

Last time she had been under the plant's influence as well. The only way to really answer some of these questions is to ask Xellos. He wouldn't tell her normally, but what if she could some how sneak some Verin to Xellos without her eating any. The only thing he had was tea, and she also drinks tea as well. 

With her meal finished Filia walked upstairs to her room. How can she trick the Trickster Priest? She flopped down on her bed and looked at the ceiling. He would be able to taste it. So then...

Filia grinned and rolled over. She had an idea, and she would try it out tomorrow.

~ ~ ~ (Xellos is rubbing off on Filia isn't he?) ~ ~ ~

Breakfast was going normally so far. Though the pancakes Filia craned her neck to see if the tea was coming soon. Not seeing any waitress or waiter she dug back into her pancakes.

"My, my Filia. If you eat like that all the time you'll be over 2 tons soon. I believe you about 1 ton now right?" Xellos grinned at her from two seats to her left.

"I don't even weigh close to a ton!" Filia growled.

"I'm sure-" Xellos reply was cut off as a waitress placed the tea on the table.

After Amelia poured tea for both of them, she wants to finish eating and a dragon on the rampage would interrupt her meal. Both Xellos and Filia took their cups.

Filia lifted the cup and made a sipping noise but didn't actually drink any. She watched Xellos out of the corner of her eye.

Xellos however did drink some. He raised his eyebrows and looked into the cup. 'We're to far away from Nipperton for there to be any Verin here. But it does have that slight flavor in it.' Xellos took a small sniff of the tea. 'It does have a faint scent to it as well. I'd better not risk it.' He put the cup down and pushed it away.

"Not in the mood for tea today Xellos?" Filia asked as she poured her second cup. (She poured the first on the floor when no one was looking.)

"Not at all." Xellos replied leaning back in his chair.

"But I can't finish that whole pot off myself. And Lina is paying this morning since I paid last night." Filia said after she swallowed the last bite of her pancakes.

"What?" Lina's ears perked up at the mention of her name.

"Xellos won't have anymore tea and I'm finished." Filia said.

"You two are the only ones that drink tea, and I'm paying for it! If I'm going to spend money it won't be wasted! Now Xellos, you drink that tea!" Lina pushed the teapot over to him

"But Lina..." Xellos began.

"I said drink the tea!!!" Lina shouted, the force of her voice created a small gust of wind that blew back Xellos's hair.

Xellos picked up the teapot and looked back at Lina. He sweat-dropped when her aura flared up. 'I hope I'm just being paranoid about this...' he thought as he tilted the pot back to drink the tea.

Filia leaned back in her chair and stifled a yawn. She had to wake up very early to convince the owner to put the Verin in the tea. They had thought it was poison at first, but she was eventually able to convince them that it wasn't. She used some of her emergency reserves of money to make sure they put the Verin in.

Xellos was more than halfway done with the tea. He glanced at Lina and saw she was still watching, mentally sighing he finished the rest. He then put the pot back down on the table and pushed it away from him. 

"And the cup." Lina said pointing to the teacup.

"But Lina..." Xellos whined.

Immediately the full-force glare and aura were back.

Hanging his head in defeat Xellos picked up and drained the teacup. 

Minutes later Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis finished breakfast and planned to look around town. 

Filia was still at the table and said to everyone else. "Maybe I'll stay here for a little bit." She got up and walked over to the stairs that lead upstairs. She then sneaked around and peered at the table where Xellos was still sitting.

'They won't leave town, and it's deserted at the forest nearby.' Xellos stood up a bit shakily. 'I should go before the Verin kicks in.' He walked out of the inn. Anyone who looked close enough, could see he was weaving slightly.

Filia grinned and followed.

~ ~ ~ (If you want to, I can save you.) ~ ~ ~

Xellos leaned against a rock and slid down. He sighed and put his head in his hands. He was very dizzy, that was what happens first. Then he feels as if he spaced out for only a moment, but really who knows how much time had passed in reality. He wouldn't remember a thing until the Verin wore off. He shook his head in a futile attempt to shake off his dizziness.

Filia peeked around a tree she was hiding behind and waited. It was about five minutes until she saw Xellos stand up. A bird flew above them breaking the silence with its call.

"Birdie..." Xellos said in a hushed awed voice. "Birdie!" Xellos leapt on top of his earlier leaning rock and began to leap after the bird.

"Wha... hey!" Filia began the chase.

~ ~ ~ (I can take you away from here.) ~ ~ ~ 

The bird when it saw it was being chased by something that could jump very well, it flew faster and higher.

"Awww... birdie go away." Xellos stopped in a clearing and looked at the bird. Then he looked around and saw several large rocks around. "Hmmm..." he said looking thoughtful before pouncing on the nearest unsuspecting rock

When Filia finally wandered near the clearing and gasped. It looked impossible but there were really big rocks stacked one on another and at the top balancing on one hand was a humming Xellos. The tower didn't look to steady, it constantly shifted one way or another.

"That wasn't much fun." Xellos pouted from his hastily constructed rock tower. Over to his left he saw something glitter. 

"Shiny!" Xellos spun and landed in a crouching position before bounding off the rock. Now gravity doesn't like things piled on one another, nor does like it even more if it's not steady. So when Xellos rocketed off of it, gravity got the to edge it needed to pull down the huge rickety tower. It luckily fell the other way from where Xellos leapt off and Filia was hiding.

"Aaahh! Filia yelled when the tower crashed down. When a shadow passed over her, she looked up and saw Xellos. Quickly scrambling to her feet she ran after him. "Oh why can't he walk!"

~ ~ ~ (So lonely inside, so busy out there.) ~ ~ ~

Xellos finally reached the lake and stared at it for a second or two before picking up a couple of small stones and skipping them. When he ran out of those he looked around for something else. He then picked up a larger stone and threw that in. Soon there were only a few very big stones left that were just too big to skip. 

Xellos sat down on the nearly rock-less shore and looked at the higher water level. His gaze wandered to the ground in front him. He smile broadened and he took off his gloves.

Panting Filia finally reached the lake and began looking around. "I was sure he was around here, he headed this way." Suddenly a small hole caught her attention and she walked over. Filia kneeled down, and peered inside only to get a face full of dirt. Surprised she sneezed and fell backwards. She looked back at the hole in time to see a head come out. Though covered in dirt she knew it was Xellos.

Xellos's face lit up. "Filia!" He dived back in the hole and came up again. When he climbed out, Filia saw he was carrying something and covered in dirt. He sat down right next Filia and lifted the dirty brown circular object in front of her face. "Look what I found!"

"That's nice." Filia pushed it away. "Can I ask you something Xellos?"

Xellos pouted when she pushed his find away. "You don't like it?"

"Yes I do. Can I ask you something though?" Filia persisted.

Xellos stood up and walked to the shore. He turned around for a second to grin before splashing in.

"Hey Xellos!" Filia waded in after him. "Can you tell me the answer to a few questions?" The mazoku seemed to have disappeared. Filia scanned the lake's surface for any movement. After a few minutes she started to gingerly head back to shore, picking through the rocky ground hidden by the water's surface.

"Aaaaah!" Filia shouted when she felt one foot yanked out from under her. She toppled backwards into the water. Sputtering she sat up and saw a clean giggling Xellos standing up right next her with his hands behind his back. "Hey! Why did you do that?!"

Xellos didn't reply, he instead held out the something he had hid. It was about 4 inches long and circular. Mostly colored like a sapphire except with flecks of emerald and a ruby center.

"That's a Kirei Stone." Filia gasped. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it in the hole." Xellos replied and he bolted for the shore.

"But I didn't see anything." Filia said when she reached the shore.

"I let you see it but you pushed it away. You didn't look past the dirt." Xellos was sitting on large flat stone throwing the stone from hand to hand. (The flat stone was one of those rocks just a little to big to skip)

"Can you stay here and answer a couple of questions for me?" Filia asked sitting down.

Xellos threw the stone to Filia, sat down next to her, and replied in a very cheery, enthusiastic, and perky tone. "Okay!"

Filia reflexively caught the stone, and looked at Xellos forgetting her question.

"What did you want to ask me?" Xellos leaned on her a little and rubbed his head on her arm.

"I… umm… do you really like me?" Filia blurted out, with a red face.

"Course I do! I like you a lot!" Xellos sat back up and looked at her with an even genkier expression than normal. "You just…" Xellos's mood did a 180 when he looked away and continued in a softer voice. "don't… like… me."

  
He looked back at her with huge watery eyes. "No matter what I do, you don't like me." Xellos looked away again. "Maybe I should go away." He stood up.

"No wait don't go!" Filia tugged on his cape.   


"Why? You don't like me." Xellos had the kicked puppy dog act on full force.

"Of course I do." Filia did her best to ignore the pink stain on her face. "It's just that you can be so annoying, and you killed my people."

"I like to bug you, you pay attention to me then! Any other time you ignore me." Xellos sat back down and looked at her with a serious expression. "And I had to fight back, I was ordered during a war to fight. I wasn't just going to stand there and let them kill me."

Filia was silent as her mind processed this new information. While she sat there contemplating, Xellos once again started rubbing his head against her arm.

Filia turned and ran her hand through his hair, she was rewarded when Xellos started purring. "Xellos?"

"Mmmm…yes?" Xellos replied opening one eye to look at her.

"Why are you purring?" Filia asked.

"For the same reasons dragons trill of course!" Xellos curled up next to Filia.

"But dragons do that when they are happy…" Filia said. 'He looks like he's going to fall asleep.'

Xellos nodded and yawned. "But I'm not supposed too…" Before Filia could say anything else he was fast a sleep.

  
~ ~ ~ (And all you wanted was somebody who cares.) ~ ~ ~

Filia was still mulling over what she learned a couple hours later. She sat there with the Kirei Stone in one hand while she gently rubbed the still purring Xellos's head. She was organizing her thoughts and more importantly her feelings. So far she had come to several conclusions.

Xellos wasn't so bad. She did kinda sorta like him. He really liked her. Ok maybe she really liked him back. He probably didn't purr often because that would ruin his 'I'm-a-big-bad-tough-mazoku' act. He was waking up. 

Filia sat and waited patiently when she felt Xellos stir and stop purring abruptly.

He was back in that warm comfy place again, and like before he was having the top of his head rubbed. Not that he was complaining, but the last time he had been with Filia. And that was when he had gotten that Verin in his tea… wait. Didn't he have some this morning? Xellos cracked open one eye and saw a pink dress, white boots, and beyond that a lake.

He closed his eye. 'If this keeps up it will turn into a habit.' He sighed and sat up expecting Filia to be strange from the Verin too.

"Sleep well?" Filia asked.

Out of all the things he had expected, he didn't expect this. "…" Blink blink. "What?"

"Did you sleep well?" Filia repeated the words slowly.

Xellos raised an eyebrow. "Yes."

"Good." Filia smiled and stood up. She pocketed a small round object and said. "Oh Xellos, I know a secret." She turned around and headed back to the town leaving a thoroughly surprised Xellos standing at the lake's edge.

~*_If you want to, I can save you_.*~

~*_I can take you away from here_.*~

~*_So lonely inside, so busy out there_.*~

~*_And all you wanted was somebody who cares_.*~

Michelle Branch "All You Wanted"

Author's Notes: Wow longer than the first one!! And a mini song-fic too! I'm actually happy how this turned out! ^_^ Well anyway I don't own the song either. I had it stuck in my head and it just seemed to flow into the fic, and it fits too. But I would love to see reviews! *huge hopeful eyes* Pretty please with your favorite character on top? I may just have to write more if you do… 


	3. Be Wary Of Curious Mazoku Who Get Can Ve...

Author's Notes: ………………………………zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.………

Xellos: *poke poke* I think she's tired.

Filia: Poking doesn't help.

Xellos: It checks if the person responds to outside stimuli. ^_^ And it is so much fun!

Filia: *looks at a paper* Anyway Riven doesn't own Slayers. Otherwise there would be a fourth season where Dolphin comes in, and everyone gets… *throws paper down* I refuse to read more! (...everyone gets together. ^_^)

Xellos *picks up paper and reads it* It's a good thing she doesn't own it, and I refuse to work under those circumstances with you. 

Riven: *wakes up* Oh and spare, Fluffers is still with Amelia, Verin is not addictive, and yes I wrote more see? *points to ficcie below* Now Minna-

Xellos: *interrupts after minna* Sha-la-la-la-la.

Riven: Please leave a review! *goes back to sleep* …zzzz…

~ ~ ~ (Busy author lady... tired author lady...) ~ ~ ~

Xellos looked at Filia. No one else could tell that he was looking at Filia. It was one of the advantages of having your eyes closed most of the time. That and he was walking behind the group.

Filia had been acting strangely ever since he got the accidental second dose of the Verin. She had been more polite to him and tried to keep her fury in check. All she did was give him a strange expression that he couldn't read and then look away whenever he tried to get a rise out of her. It was really starting to bug him.

And speaking of Filia, she was slowing down and matching pace with him.

They walked like that until Filia broke the silence. "So I hear you like eat foods once in a while. The next town is a well-known desert city." 

"Sounds like you've been there before for the same reason." Xellos shrugged, "So that's where you must of put on that extra weight."

Filia's red aura, fangs and glowing eyes only appeared for a moment before she took a deep breath and composed herself. "Maybe a little. You could spend the night at the inn with us perhaps."

"Why would I?" Xellos calmly replied. 'Almost had her that time.'

"For the company of course." Filia stated.

"With a bunch of sleeping humans and a selfish dragon?" Xellos raised an eyebrow.

Twitch. "Well we put up with you don't we?" Filia poked him to emphasis her point.

"I'd rather stay outside anyway." Xellos continued to manage his indifferent attitude though he was starting to get annoyed at Filia for not getting angry.

"If you say so." Filia increased her pace and joined back up with the others. 

Xellos quietly muttered to himself that he was annoyed because he had grown used to feeding on her. Now he'd have to go somewhere else to feed, well to get a full meal at least.

~ ~ ~ (….zzzzzz….) ~ ~ ~

Xellos was pondering at a different table from the others. He remembered what Filia had said after the Verin wore off for the second time. 

"_Oh Xellos, I know a secret_." Her words echoed eerily in his mind

'What had she meant?' Xellos being a keeper of many secrets wanted to know. He looked over to Filia and saw her eating with the others. He wasn't about to go and as her what she had meant. If he did that, he would be admitting she had a slight edge over him. He needed to find another way.

Xellos picked up his teacup and was about to drink when he paused. Warily glancing at the tea, he inconspicuously sniffed it and deemed it safe to drink. 'Considering how often Verin seems to pop up lately, I can not be to careful.' He still took a small taste test any way to confirm if it was safe. 

He couldn't force it out of her. If he did that Lina and the others would get mad, and he needed to stay on their good side. Otherwise he might end up like every other mazoku (only exception being himself) who met the group and he certainly didn't want that. 

He could try to enter and search her mind when she was sleeping, but that could backfire easily. Maybe a potion or… Xellos mentally berated himself. The answer was obvious. Verin. 

Xellos's smile broadened. He knew where he was going to visit tonight…

~ ~ ~ (… /\ _ /\ …) ~ ~ ~

The morning's breakfast was the normal battlefield that the Slayers have. 

Filia had finished her meal long ago and was sipping her fourth cup of tea. There was a slightly familiar flavor that she couldn't place. 

Xellos watched Filia out of the corner of his eye. 'She's gotten a big enough dose. All I have to do is wait now.' 

Sitting away from the group at another table, he wasn't having any tea. Putting the Verin into the store of tea last night had been too easy, after he had acquired some from Nipperton.

When no one was looking he blink out and reappeared high above the city sitting cross-legged looking down. Yes, all he had to do now was wait, and he couldn't help but smile. 

~ ~ ~ (Verin is becoming popular between them isn't it?) ~ ~ ~

As always the Slayers spent one day exploring the town they stayed in if they weren't in a hurry. Zelgadis and Amelia went to library in the town square, Lina and Gourry checked the market and the bazaars in the center of the town, and Filia was checking out a pottery shop at the edge of town.

Filia walked into the quaint shop and saw a, to put it nicely, unusually shaped pot. 'It looks like a bumpy pumpkin thing.' While Filia would normally be a bit more fascinated for how it was made, she found it to be hilarious. 

The disgruntled owner shooed the laughing dragon out of the store. Luckily he didn't notice the gold tail that had popped out during Filia's giggle fit.

Not feeling like going back town, she wandered into a forest nearby still chuckling. Calming down a bit she looked at the huge ancient moss covered trees. 

"Hello Filia." Xellos greeted from one low branch of one of the trees.

Filia blinked, and laughed pointing up at him.

Xellos frowned, she wasn't supposed to laugh at him.

Filia calmed down and cheerily waved up at him. "Hello Xellos."

Xellos hopped down and landed a few feet away from her. "Filia, I want you to tell me…" Xellos tailed off and opened his eyes in surprise when Filia barreled over to him.

She screeched to a halt a foot in front of Xellos. She leaned forward and put her hands behind her back. "Tell you what?" Filia drawled her words a little having a familiar genki expression on.

Xellos resumed his normal expression as well. "What secret do you know?"

"I know some!" Filia pranced around the bewildered Xellos.

"Care to tell me?" Xellos was starting to get dizzy from watching her.

"Scritchy scratch!" Filia scratched to back of Xellos's head.

"Eh?" Xellos blinked confused.

"Awww… no purr for me today?" Filia pouted.

"You know about that?" Xellos had a few blue-black lines over his head. 

"Yes I know you purr!" Filia then continued in a singsong voice. "And I know something else!"

Xellos snapped back to attention. "What?"

"That the," Filia glanced to her right and left and lowered her voice, "zombies are coming."

Xellos sighed and put one hand on his head when Filia ran in circles around him spouting out a nonsense little tune. Then he heard what she was shouting over and over.

"We came to see the trees, over the great green blue sea! I know something, I know something, why yes indeed I do! I like him and he likes me, sooner or later I hope we can be free! We'll travel over hill and dale, and hope that we'll never fail!" 

Xellos managed to keep most of his composure and only blink twice. Though most of it was nonsense he managed to pick out one line that confused him. 

"I like him and he likes me, I hope we'll be a happy family!"

At that line Xellos lost all his composure and face-faulted. With wide eyes he looked up at Filia. "What?" he asked incredulously. 

"You know silly." Filia plopped down next to the still shocked mazoku. "You like me," Filia tilted her head to the side and smiled cheerily, "and I like you. You even gave me a pretty shiny."

"Pretty shiny?" Xellos echoed.

Filia latched onto his arm. "The very pretty shiny."

Xellos shook his arm a little trying to dislodge the dragon attached to it.

"Do you remember the pretty shiny?" Filia inched closer.

Getting flustered from the all the information, losing the circulation in one arm, and the strange acting dragon next to him Xellos didn't reply and looked blankly at her.

"I show you the pretty shiny again!" Filia chirped. 

No sooner had Filia said that something hard whacked Xellos in the back of the head. Wincing slightly, he rubbed the sore spot with one hand and looked up at a golden tail waving in front of him. Filia's tail had a new addition, the Kirei Stone was over a silver bow's knot. It was actually a very nice combination.

While Xellos was looking at Filia's tail, Filia decided to get into a more comfortable position. Xellos didn't notice when she let go of his arm (it was asleep), but he did notice when she reattached herself to his waist and began to trill.

'This gets stranger and stranger.' Xellos thought with a sweat-drop. 'If Filia or I get any more Verin, I wouldn't be surprised if this happens frequently. I wonder what would happen if we get the same dose at the same time.' The thought made him shudder. 'I don't want to find out.'

Xellos looked down at the sleeping Filia. 'I'd better get her back to the inn before anyone suspects anything. I can't risk teleportation with a dragon, I'll have to carry her back.' 

Lifting her up he began to trek out of the forest, and everything was going well until they reached a shallow river. 

Xellos almost slipped on the slippery rocks under the surface, but managed to catch his balance without dropping Filia. Sighing in relief he continued to carefully cross the river. 

Then Filia decided she need stretch and turn in her sleep. Xellos who was in a precarious position already didn't account for this sudden movement and the result, SPLASH!

Filia sputtered and sat up rubbing her eyes. "How did I get here?" (The river was very shallow)

Xellos sat up, coughed out some water, and took deep breath that sent him into another fit of coughing. When he finally stopped coughing he realized that Filia had woken up and was staring at him as if he had sprung up out of nowhere. (Which he did to her point of view.) 

Filia blinked a few more times and then broke the silence. "Ahahaha!" She pointed at him while she laughed.

Xellos blankly stared at her finger and then frowned when she laughed at him. "What?" He raised one eyebrow, though you couldn't tell under the wet bangs that nearly went down to his nose. 

Filia managed to say through her constant giggles "Your hair!" She continued to point with one hand while the other was over her mouth.

Xellos quizzically stared back until he realized what she was talking about. Grumbling slightly, he flipped his wet bangs so they didn't cover his eyes anymore. 

Filia stopped her giggles and calmed down. "Xellos how did I get here in the middle of a river?"

"Well Filia, I was in the forest when you came along." Xellos replied truthfully. "You were acting strange, and you wouldn't leave me alone."

"And I followed you and tripped you into the river." Filia concluded. "Don't take what I said seriously, I think I got into some Verin this morning."

Xellos shrugged and didn't correct her on her idea, otherwise she might figure out he gave her the Verin. "I would like to get back to town, but I can't do that while a heavy dragon is sitting on me."

Filia growled slightly but did get up when she realized with a slight blush that she was sitting on him. However she did splash him to return the insult. Once again she began to laugh at his wet hair as well as his expression. 

Xellos stood up and once again flipped his bangs away from his eyes.

In an unsaid truce, the two non-humans walked back to town sopping wet.

~ ~ ~ (*blinks* Oh, the chapter is done.) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: *stretches* There, it's done for now. Sorry it took so long but I couldn't think of an idea. ^^; And I still need one for the next chapter too. Any idea givers I will worship, if I use your idea I will mention you and put you on a pedal of worship. And I only still own half of this idea already. The other half is Zee Metallium's kitty nipper. *bows* Now excuse me please while I go work on the other fics I have to do. *scurries off to write more of the other fics* … *runs back* Oh I almost forgot to say any reviews may give my brain a kick start into creativity! ^o^ \V/ *scurries off again*


	4. Verin Is Seems To Be Everywhere! Maybe T...

Author Notes: ^o^ Hiya readers! Chapter 4 now. @_@ Whoa, I never thought it would be this long, or even past the first chapter. Well K-sama, Filia Metallium, Faronon Star Wolf, Ruby Moon Metallium, Dark fire angel, and Vincelia Valentine (who was the closet to my actual idea) thank you for the suggestions! 

~ ~ ~ (_Life is a mystery, everyone must stand-alone_.) ~ ~ ~

The group was tense, its daily patterns were disrupted. Everyone occasionally glanced between the source of the problem, the silent Filia and Xellos. There had been no bickering, no exchange of words, not even bat of an eyelid to acknowledge the other existed, they just acted as if the other didn't exist at all. And it was causing problems with everyone else that had gotten used to the arguing and mass chaos that followed.

The group trudged on to hopefully reach the next town before nightfall. 

"Welcome travelers! Welcome to Tinnatern on out day of celebration!" A merry villager said as he bowed to them. "Come and enjoy our fair city."

~ ~ ~ (_I hear you call my name,_) ~ ~ ~

"What perfect timing Ms. Lina! We get to see the celebration of flowers! It'll be so much fun!" Amelia squealed careful of her bunny sidekick Fluffers on her shoulder.

"I hear they brought in exotic fruits and other expensive foods. This is very lucky." Lina agreed.

"I wonder what kind of stuff they got?" Gourry mused to himself.

"I think I'll stay here." Zelgadis said gesturing to the inn's dining room.

"Not today! Come on come with me Mr. Zelgadis." Amelia stood up and walked over to Zelgadis using her best pleading expression. Fluffers added to the cuteness as he got his own set of bunny eyes, which are more effective than puppy dog eyes.

"…fine." Even Zelgadis couldn't resist the cute level of Amelia and her sidekick.

Lina stood up and walked to the door. "Well it's settled. Come on Gourry! Let's hit the food stalls!" She turned around and leaned against the doorframe tapping her foot impatiently.

"Coming!" Gourry pushed his chair back and joined her. Together they walked out of the inn.

"Can we go now?" Amelia tugged Zelgadis's arm. "We don't want to miss anything."

Zelgadis didn't say anything but stood up and followed Amelia.

The two other occupants just sat there in silence until a waiter came up. "Anything I can get you two?" He winked at them both.

Filia sighed. "Do you have any tea?"

"Why yes we do. We have a rare blend of several rare plants tonight only. Would you like me to get you some?"

Filia nodded and the waiter marched away. He marched back a minute later with a tea tray with two cups. "It on the house because the manager thinks you two look cute together."

Surprised Filia and Xellos stared at the waiter, then at each other, and then at the tea tray the waiter placed down before he walked away. 

They only stared silently at the tea until Xellos reached out and poured some for both of them.

"Want any sugar?" Filia said when he handed her the teacup.

"Threes spoonfuls." She mixed in the three teaspoons of sugar and handed him his teacup.

They both sipped their tea quietly.

"This is good." Filia stared at her tea. "I'll have to ask what is in it when the waiter comes back."

"Unusual blend. I can identify most flavors but there are a few I don't know." Xellos offhandedly commented.

They continued to have several more cups until the waiter returned.

"What is in this tea if I may ask?" Filia asked looking up at the waiter as she took another sip of tea.

"Jasmine, oranges, ginkgo, winbaro, mandrake, verin…" the waiter listed several more herbs.

Upon hearing verin both Filia's and Xellos's eye widened and they spat the tea back into the cup.

"Is everything ok?" the waiter asked as he looked at the pale couple.

"Y-yes. We're done with the tea. It was lovely." Filia put her teacup down. 

"…" Xellos also put his cup down. The waiter shrugged and took the tray away.

"…" Both Filia and Xellos looked at each other. They stood up and walked out different exits.

~ ~ ~ (_And it feels like… _) ~ ~ ~

Xellos leaned against a wall and pulled out a black crystal orb on a leather strap. He started to tie it to his belt. "I may not remember what I'm about to do but this will record what I've done." He mumbled quietly to himself as the world began to spin around him. {After the 2nd time he got this in case of another Verin incident. There is no plot hole here! *cackles*}

On the other side Filia was doing the same thing but with a clear crystal. "I hope it works, I haven't used it in such a long time…" Filia double checked the knot and sighed. "This is becoming to much of a habit for us."

The sound of music picked up from the town square drawing the two non-humans out of their hiding places.

~ ~ ~ (…_home…_) ~ ~ ~

The band started to play another song as they watched the dancing floor.

Filia was sitting on a chair on the sidelines swinging her feet. She wanted to dance but they only said a couple could. She had pouted and sat down in hopes someone would ask her soon. It had already been a minute since she had sat down. Filia began to hum to keep from getting bored.

Xellos meanwhile was happily looking around, though he was doing his best not to ingest any of the abundant positive emotions around him. Dancing looked like fun but he couldn't seem to find anyone to dance with. His face brightened when he saw Filia he then bounded over.

"Filia," he chirped. "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Yup." Filia grinned and nodded getting to her feet.

The two made their way over to the dance floor entrance. 

"I'm sorry, in a minute the dance floor will clear for the contest." A bystander told them.

Xellos and Filia looked at each other and shrugged.

"We'll enter the contest then." Filia jumped at then sign in sheet and scribbled her name and Xellos's.

"The rules are who ever can-" he was interrupted. 

"Never mind about the rules. I'm sure they aren't that big of a deal." Xellos tsked the man. 

"But the contestants must dance and then sing a duet-"

"We can do that." Filia and Xellos giggled and walked away to plan their fun until they were called.

~ ~ ~ (I know you probably know the song I'm going to choose now, right?) ~ ~ ~

"Wasn't that wonderful?" The announcer cheered as a young teen couple walked off stage. "Now out last pair is Filia Ul Copt and Xellos Metallium."

Filia ran up and handed several sheets of music to the band. "Sorry if it's a little messy. That's our duet song music!" Filia clasped her hands behind her back.

"And this is the dancing music." Xellos handed some different music sheets over.

The music started. It was the slow kind and both Filia and Xellos were in the traditional slow dance. All in all every other couple that night had done the same thing. The audience was falling asleep, and suddenly the music picked up to a fast beat startling them out of their boredom.

Xellos dipped and twirled Filia. Filia then did the same to him (audience O.o; after all girls don't normally do that.) They then proceeded to do something related to the tango. Xellos somehow got a yellow rose in his mouth and Filia got a purple rose in her mouth. After a few minutes they threw the roses aside, held hands, and spun around.

When they let go they stumbled a few feet back from each other. After a few more finishing moves (that they did in sync mirror style) they bowed and the music ended.

"…and now for the duet." The announcer said after a moment of shock. {It'll say who is singing it and actions are in *here* Example Person: Song lyrics *motion*}

*both face forward to the crowd as the music starts*

Both: When you call my name it's like a little prayer. *turns looks at the other* \o_ _o/  
Xellos: I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there. *kneels facing Filia and holds his arms out to her*  
Filia: In the midnight hour I can feel your power. *holds her arms like the hands of a clock at midnight, then makes a fist with one hand and puts it over her heart* *Xellos stands up*  
Both: Just like a prayer you know I'll take you there. *holds thier arms out to each other*  


Xellos: I hear your voice, it's like an angel sighing. *wistful expression as he looks up slightly*  
I have no choice, I hear your voice. *shakes his head and looks down*  
Feels like flying. *opens eyes and looks at audience*  
I close my eyes, oh God I think I'm falling. *looks down bangs shadow eyes*  
Out of the sky, I close my eyes. *looks to audience with closed eyes*  
Heaven help me. *looks skyward*  


Filia: Like a child you whisper softly to me. *puts one hand up to her ear*  
You're in control just like a child. *soft smile and spreads her arms out while looking up*  
Now I'm dancing. *slowly spins around once*  
It's like a dream, no end and no beginning. *looks left and right*  
You're here with me, it's like a dream. *steps forward and wistfully smiles*  
Let the choir sing... *closes eyes and looks skyward*  


Xellos: Just like a prayer, your voice can take me there. *puts hand over heart*  
Filia: Just like a muse to me, you are a mystery. *smiles and does the 'secret' pose*  
Xellos: Just like a dream, you are not what you seem. *smiles and opens eyes*  
Filia: Just like a prayer, no choice your voice can take me there. *puts hand over heart*  


Both: Just like a prayer, I'll take you there. *walk towards each other*

It's like a dream to me… *both holds hands, faces audience, and bows*   


"What is going on here?!" the other Slayers shouted. (They came in near the begining of the song and were to shocked to day anything.)

Xellos and Filia looked at each other and ran off the stage giggling.

~ ~ ~ (_It's like a dream to me_...) ~ ~ ~

Author's Notes: Forgive me if this part bites. *winces* It was a strange half dream sequence on my part that burrowed it's way into my mind and demand I write it into the fic. o.O The dancing part was pretty bad. -_-;;; I know that. And I know didn't use the whole song. I just took what I needed or something or other and I lost the train of thought and I'll just be quiet and let you review now... 


	5. The Tree (And Morning) After ........Gou...

Author's Notes: ^.^ Well, K-sama prodded me into writing more of this. As usual I don't own Slayers nor the song, "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch. *looks over the 4th chapter and winces* Never again will I do a dance scene… *while the readers read Riven goes and sulks at her 4th chapter, yes she is whiny about it*

~ ~ ~ (_Turn it inside out so I can see_,) ~ ~ ~

            The following morning found the Slayers gang having breakfast, in the usual fashion.

"I wonder where Ms. Filia and Mr. Xellos are." Amelia asked as she fed Fluffers a carrot. "I didn't hear either of them come back last night."

"They were acting very strange last night." Zelgadis commented before sipping his morning coffee.

Lina nodded. "I wonder what's up with them?"

"They probably both got into some Verin and were drawn together by the atmosphere of the festival and their unacknowledged love." Gourry said before he bit into a sausage. 

"…" Was everyone else's intelligent reply.

"We'll have to go out and look for them." Lina pointed her fork, with the bit of egg on it, upwards. "After breakfast!" And then she dug back into her meal.

~ ~ ~ (_The part of you drifting over to me_.) ~ ~ ~

Filia yawned and stretched. This inn sure had an uncomfortable bed, very narrow and hard. She bleary opened her eyes and stared up into… the forest canopy? That wasn't the inn's ceiling!

Filia sat up too quickly and fell off her tree branch. Luckily she landed on the next branch down, but someone was already there though she didn't know that.

Waking with a start, (a dragon landed on him… that should wake anyone up.) Xellos looked at Filia's surprised face before the branch snapped under their combined weight sending them falling into the foliage below.

THUMP! 

Filia dared to open her eyes and looked up. She had been on a surprisingly high branch, and the fall should have hurt more.

"You really are a heavy dragon." Xellos grunted as he winced slightly.

"Am not!" Filia retorted as she looked down. Then she realized that she must have landed on him twice, and sure enough she was sitting on top of his stomach. 

"From my point of view currently, you are." Xellos decided he preferred a different wake up call. Then he noticed the surroundings, he decided then he preferred not falling out of trees with a dragon on landing on top of him twice as a wake up call.

Filia scooted off but sat nearby. "… what direction is the town in?" Filia looked around trying to get her bearings.

Xellos sat up still wincing a little, "Your asking me?"

"…yeah…" Filia drawled.

Both were trying to think about how they had arrived at their destination, and then they remembered about the recording devices. 

"I'm going to go look over here." Filia stood up and walked off in a direction. She walked until she thought she was out of Xellos's sight and then picked her crystal up.

"Jewel of memory, show me the past." Filia intoned and the crystal grew a flicking gold aura. Filia waited and then 

"_Like a… just like… a dream… are a mystery…_" Though it wasn't very loud, it was her voice and it sounded like she was singing. It didn't seem to be working correctly, the words were sometimes clear, other times garbled, and the images flickered and were fuzzy.

"What in Cephied's name did I do last night?" Filia muttered as she turned around heading back to the tree. She dropped the crystal in her pocket on her way back.

~ ~ ~ (_Just tell me how I got this far_.) ~ ~ ~

Meanwhile Xellos had recovered from being used as a landing pad, twice, and was leaning against the same tree he had fallen out of earlier. 

He was having the same results with his ebony orb, which gave off a violet aura. "_Your voice… no choice… think I'm falling… take me there…_" Was he _singing_? What in Shabranigdo's name did he do last night?

~ ~ ~ (_Just tell me why you're here and who you are._) ~ ~ ~

Defeated, Filia walked back. "It's not over there." 

Xellos quickly but inconspicuously threw the black orb to the side and then draped a part of his cape over it so it was hidden. "I didn't think it would be."

"You should have said something then." Filia stalked over and sat against the same tree not to far away from Xellos.

Xellos just shrugged. Both didn't notice that they hadn't turned off their nifty recording devices…

…nor did they notice that Filia's crystal had fallen out of her pocket and landed a mere inch away from Xellos's orb…

…nor did they notice that the auras were mixing slightly, and it seemed to have a good effect on their 'recorded' events…

(…nor did the author mind doing the '…nor did they notice' about 4 times…^^;)

"_When you call my name it's like a little prayer_…" Both Filia's and Xellos's gaze snapped down to where the two artifacts were singing (with both their voices) in harmony with each other. After the brief shock wore off both immediately went to snatch their respective magical item, but they each grabbed the wrong one.

Filia blinked at the black orb. She wanted to know what happened last night, and for that she needed both of them. 

"Perhaps we should just dispose of these, we may be better off not knowing what happened." Xellos said standing.

"But I need to know!" Filia also stood up. "Can't I just have it back?"

"Nah-uh." Xellos shook his head no. "I don't want anyone to know, I'm sure it's bad enough. 

Filia frowned and tried to think of a plan, she had to do something… something unexpected…

Xellos was prepared for a mace swing, Laser Breaths, Fire Breaths, and Chaotic Disinigrates, he hadn't expected what she actually did.

Filia put on her widest grin. "It's a lovely day! It's wonderful to be alive!" Filia threw her arms around Xellos's neck. 

"Your not getting it." The mazoku held the crystal further away, despite stiffening and going a bit pale.

"It's a great day to be alive! Life is wonderful!" She mustered all her positive feelings and planted a kiss on the surprised Xellos's cheek. 

That did it. Xellos didn't quite feel up to standing anymore, so he keeled over.

Filia snatched her crystal and bounded a small distance away. "I got it!" She sat down beaming.

"Filia! That was mean!" Xellos whined and sat up. "And underhanded for even a mazoku!"

"Is the great Xellos embarrassed, hmmm…?" Filia twiddled her thumbs in an attempt to look innocent.

"…"

"So he is!" Filia was glad she wasn't sitting nearby; otherwise she would've poked him.

"Ah! I see, your still under the Verin's effect." Though still a bit pale, Xellos seemed to have recovered.

"Am not." Filia looked at both the recorders, and held them together and waited.

As before the auras synchronized, and Filia waited. 

Xellos mentally sighed and decided to give into his curiosity, it couldn't be that bad… could it? He got up and walked over.

Filia held the recording stones away, "I want to see, then you can have yours back."

"I just wanted to watch." He stopped about a foot and a half away from Filia and sat down.

Filia gave a slightly wary look at the mazoku before she placed the recording stones back on her lap. 

"From the beginning now." She tapped the stones to make sure they heard.

A hazy image began to form in the flat 2ft aura, and Xellos and Filia leaned forward to watch. 

~ ~ ~ (_I sense it now, the water's getting deep_.) ~ ~ ~

"I wonder where they could be?" Lina looked around with her hands on her hips.

"I wonder what we'll find when we find them?" Amelia pondered on the idea, while Fluffers acted as a lookout on her head.

"I say we give Filia one day to come back. We can't wait to long." Zelgadis gave a pointed look to everyone.

"But we can't leave them." Lina walked back.

Gourry just watched, after all he had a pretty good idea about what happened and where they were. He just liked to watch … oh look at the bug on his boot, no wait the shiny jewel on Lina's shoulder guard, wait Amelia had Fluffers he liked Fluffers, oh and Zel's hair was really shiny, then there was that big dance floor… 

"Gourry! Have any idea of where they could be jellyfish brain?" Lina interrupted his train of thought.

"Dance floor." Gourry pointed at the empty dance floor in the square.

"…" was everyone's reply.

~ ~ ~ (_So tell me_…) ~ ~ ~

Author Notes: … Well that's that. *dusts hands off* this chapter is done, though short… *sniffles* Sorry it's not the normal size... Reviews will help me write more (I believe it's going to be the last chapter…), so please leave a review! ^-^


	6. The Search, The Find, And The Beginnings...

Author Notes: Ack, the floppy deleted what I had of chapter 6, and the Writer's block struck. -.-; But luckily I was able to write again! ^0^ Yay! … ¬.¬  Okay, after reading a few protesting reviews, chapter four may be okay then… ^ ^ *waves a flag*

// ~ ~ ~ (Flash back…picks up where Filia And Xellos left town) ~ ~ ~ \\

Filia leaned against a tree trunk to catch her breath. That had been really really fun! She smiled and clapped her hands. "Can we do that again?"

Xellos had waited (by decapitating a few flowers) for Filia to catch her breath. "Do what?"

"Play!" Filia bounced back to her feet, and prodded a decapitated flower with her foot. 

"Play what…" Xellos trailed off before realizing what she had meant. "Tag?"

"Tag?" Filia echoed. She wanted to dance again, but tag was fun… "Tag! Your it!" She chirped before teleporting away.

Blink blink. "Hey!" Xellos gave chase.

Hours flew by, and the 'it' switched position many many times. A score was not kept, nor was it even needed. 

Filia was hiding in a tree, she was having so much fun… but she was really really tired now… she blinked her eyes to keep awake. She fell into a light doze she felt the branch shift as if something else came on it.

"You're tired too?" Xellos' voice snapped Filia back awake, and she nodded.

The branched cracked a little and Xellos climbed off it to a lower branch.

"We should do this again sometime…" Filia yawned.

"We should." Came Xellos' return yawn.

And soon both non-humans were asleep.

~ ~ ~ (End flashback, and back to the present!) ~ ~ ~

"…" Xellos had long since propped his head up with his hand. How… embarrassing…

Filia was in a similar mental state. She absently handed Xellos back his black orb and pocketed her crystal. "I won't speak of this if you won't." She mumbled.

"Agreed." Xellos replied as they both stood up, and started trudging back the way they came. (It didn't even occur to them to teleport.)

And they walked on in silence… and then walked even more in silence… and yes, walked even more in silence in an oddly enough silent forest as well. Soon the silence grew unbearable and it cried  to be broken. 

"…" But then again, both were stubborn weren't they?

By the time they neared town the day was almost over.

Finally Filia decided to give in, if she ended up talking to herself, then so be it. "…why tag? Usually only children play that… it used to be an old favorite game of mind though."

She continued rambling on paying no attention to the silent mazoku next to her. "I wonder if the other time was like that… or maybe you only suggested it that time because it would have almost been even… you didn't suggest it any other time…" 

"Even? I could beat you any day." Xellos offhandedly commented. 

"At what, tag?" Filia smirked, "a children's game?"

"I could." Xellos replied.

"What about…" Filia trailed off thoughtfully. "no, never mind. That would be out of your league at the moment."

"Out of yours, but not mine." The violet haired mazoku retorted.

"Fine, as soon as I suggest it you'll back out though." The blonde haired ryuzoku said. 

"I'll prove it then, if it falls under certain circumstances I won't though." 

Filia stopped to think… what could she suggest…? She blurted out the first improbable thing that came to mind. "Dance."

"…dance" Xellos repeated slightly incredulously, he didn't expect that.

"Yes dance… with me." Filia finished. There is now way he would do that. No way in Cepieed's domain he would ever-

"Fine."

-do that… 

~ ~ ~ (Mwuhahaha… ^-^) ~ ~ ~

As they agreed earlier, the Slayers gang was up and about searching for their missing travel companions. 

"Not over here." Zelgadis muttered walking out from alley. 

"Not in the store…" Lina  walked out of a random store.

"Mmmph mm…" Gourry walked out of a restaurant munching on some bread. Before Lina could growl though they heard Amelia's voice.

"…I see them!" Amelia shouted from her position on the roof pointing towards the forest. Fluffers balanced on her head.

With Amelia as guide they hurried over to the nearby forest… just in time too. Both Xellos and Filia didn't know that they now had an audience for their dance.

"…" said Lina, disbelief written across her face.

"…" said Gourry, a curious expression on her face.

"…" said Zelgadis, a shocked look on his face.

"…" said Amelia with stars in her eyes. "See I knew they were destined for each other!"

It was at this point both non-humans realized they were being watched. Both sweat-dropped and stepped away from each other.

 Lina shook off her disbelief. It was _perfect_… perfect for revenge on the both of them… "Oh, gee…." She put on her cute innocent act. "I thought the Verin, or what ever made you two have so much fun last night wore off… unless you two were just acting…"

"It's not what you think Lina." Filia growled, face a little bit red.

Zelgadis picked up on Lina's trail; revenge would be fun… He shook his head. "And I thought you two hated each other…"

"We do." Xellos had his eyes open, and was glaring at anyone who dared suggest otherwise. 

"Oh, aren't they a cute couple? They're both denying it, but they're blushing!" Amelia cooed, while Fluffers waves a little flag with a heart on it.

"We are not!" both non-humans shouted.

"So, are they getting married then?" Gourry asked, and watched Filia and Xellos face-fault.

Lina silently thanked Gourry, that had been a really good line to use. "Can I come?" she batted her eyes.

"We are not having a wedding Lina." Filia growled and sat up glaring at the red haired sorceress. 

"You need time to plan then, come back to the inn when you are ready." Zelagadis turned around and started back for town. "We'll leave you two alone."

Amelia was still sparkly eyed and followed after Zelgadis giggling.

"Be sure to invite us!" Lina chirped and herded a confused Gourry back to town.

Xellos sat back up and glared after. "All in favor of revenge say aye and raise your hand."

"Aye." Filia growled half smirking as she raised her hand while glaring after the others.

~ ~ ~ (Aha… looks like this isn't the last chapter after all then…) ~ ~ ~

Author Notes: Well, it seems this is going to be longer, and also be a L/G and A/Z as well now… n.n I promise to work on the next chapter and get it out hopefully soon!


End file.
